Paradise
by Graveyard of Hearts
Summary: Blake has been having a hard time making it in Zuzu on her own. Rent was too high and rained devastation on her already laughably pathetic funds. She was losing herself to the city, feeding off her ever-growing misery, and just when she thinks she's hit beyond rock bottom, she finds an old envelope that her grandfather gave her. In it, he offers her hope. He offers her Paradise.
1. Chapter 1

Blake had been losing faith more and more the past year than she thought was possible. Life had all but become a meaningless trudge through muck-filled roads at this point, sinkholes at every corner that barely left her room to breathe. It was a miserable existence, one that she tried to find the light in no matter how deep she sank.

But it felt as though Zuzu reveled in its mission to suck the bright light out of any who dared to call the concrete jungle their home. It certainly seemed to do that with her mother, who dreamed of nothing more than to return to her childhood home with her daughter. To free them both from the city's soul-sucking agenda. From the abuse of being beaten down at every turn... But...

Blake looked up from the computer screen, her eyes burning from the overly bright screen that did nothing to lighten up the dark cubicle that was called her workspace. Her honey brown eyes, having dulled exponentially since she started working at Joja Corporations, fell upon the only thing that used to give her a sliver of hope. A photograph of her and her mother, her mother hugging her tightly while both beamed happily at the mysterious figure behind the camera.

They weren't allowed to personalize their workspaces. The company was on its way to become a tyrannical monopoly, leeching itself into unsuspecting victims foolish enough to open themselves to the "opportunities" the company was "willing" to offer. That seemed almost poetic, Blake came to realize. Zuzu was nothing more than a cesspool of misery and wasted opportunities. The people here nothing more than hollow shells of who they used to be. Zuzu and Joja were like a match made in heaven.

She always wished that it was her father behind the camera, liked to pretend, knowing full well that the man was only in her life long enough to accidentally get her mother pregnant and bail.

Blake was probably five or six in that picture, and it had been her late grandfather taking that picture. It was one of their last visits to his farm in Pelican Town before he fell ill. Before he had to be moved to the city because the town's clinic wasn't equipped to treat him. Before he finally passed, after years of suffering through his progressively growing illness.

Before her mother had her terrible accident that, too, resulted in a loss of life... Before Blake was truly alone.

Before…

_Just before..._

* * *

The hours at the office were long, dreary, and unfulfilling. The pay was pathetic and was nowhere near worth the amount of work that Joja demanded from its employees.

_Slaves, more like it,_ Blake thought bitterly as she trudged home, her body slumped over from exhaustion. She wanted nothing more than to go home, fall face first in her bed (admittedly, that wasn't a good idea, as her bed was nothing more than a mattress on the floor. That would hurt like hell.), curl up with a cup of instant noodles, and sleep for a thousand years. Maybe more.

The walk to the apartments was a bit of a hike, but Blake preferred to walk wherever she went. After her mother's accident, she found it hard to step foot into another vehicle. It was an irrational fear, she knew, but the idea still was enough to make her stomach jump straight to her throat. She'd rather brave a dangerous street or two than go through that again...

She made it home a little later that night than usual, which was only minutely annoying. She walked up to the steps to the panel with seemingly a million buttons on it. Most of them were to call each individual room, which could then lead to the front door being unlocked with the simple press of a button. There was a keypad at the bottom, each tenant having their own code to get into the building.

Blake quickly typed the digits in and pressed enter, and waited for the door to buzz to let her know that it was unlocked.

Nothing.

She furrowed her dark brows in confusion before typing the code in once, twice, thrice more before crying out in frustration. She didn't forget her code. Could she? That was a possibility. A very slim one, but one none the less. So that meant…

She promptly pressed the button that buzzed to room 317, the room directly across from her. A few more times.

_"What?!"_ Blake flinched, feeling a bit bad for being a tad rude, but hey... She needed to get inside.

"S-sorry, Ms. Keller. It's Blake... I know it's late, but... I forgot my code... Could you buzz me in?" Silence. "Please?" The silence continued to linger for a moment before the door finally buzzed open. "Thank you, Ms. Keller!"

She quickly went inside and up the flight of stairs to the third floor, ignoring whatever was in her designated mailbox. Bills could wait till in the morning. Not like she really had the funds to do much with them. She was short on money as it is, and she was two months behind on rent, which was no surprise. She had a hard time keeping up with it, and she was paid so little…

She walked down the hall, fidgeting with her keys. 310.. 312.. 314..

Her heart raced in anticipation as she prayed to Yoba that she only just forgot her code, the closer she got to her room making her heart painfully beat against her chest. It wasn't until she saw the white, official-looking piece of paper taped to her door... The word "Evicted" printed in bold letters right across the top held her attention, she didn't even bother to read the rest. She tried the key, which didn't work.

Another cry of frustration tore from her throat, though a tad bit more strangled, as she ripped the paper from the door. She stared at it, not reading it... She just stared as she backed up against the wall. She slid down, sinking into that despair she tried so hard to keep at bay... Her dark hair fell in front of her face as if to hide her face from the rest of the world as tears fell down her cheeks.

What was she going to do? She literally had nowhere else to go... She had no friends in this city, at least no real friends. Her ex, she refused to even look at after what he put her through... Her father was obviously out of the question...

_What was she going to do…?_

* * *

"Mr. Ditkovich... Please... I know I haven't really been able to keep my payments-"

"Miss Wilders... I am afraid..." He paused and let out an exhausted sigh. "You're a sweet kid, you really are, but my hands are tied." Ditkovich, her landlord, was a middle-aged man, through the years have been everything but kind to him, aging him drastically. And he was nice enough, though that wasn't really saying much. People in the city rarely ever stuck their neck out for anyone, used whoever to get wherever they wanted and didn't think twice about it. There was an absence of any sort of value anyone had for another human being.

However, he had allowed her to stay even though she was habitually late paying her rent when he had every right to throw her out the first month she missed a payment.

"I'm aware I let you slide a few times... But miss Wilders, you can't continue to lean on your job as a crutch to shirk your contractually bound responsibilities."

Blake opened her mouth to argue with him, but he cut her off before she could even start. "You've had ample time to find another job that offered you sufficient funds to pay your rent, and you just haven't done anything to better your chances." He paused long enough to sigh and shake his head. "Kid, I like ya, but I can't keep doing this. You're taking advantage of me, and I'm losing money."

Blake held her breath as he spoke, the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks burning her skin like acid. He wasn't going to reconsider his decision, which he was very much so in the right for, yet she found herself trying so hard to keep her anger from bubbling over. Not necessarily fully directed at him, mostly at the hand she had been dealt. He was just an easy target. And that wasn't fair.

"I-is there any way I can.." her voice quivered and cracked. "Stay tonight? Just for tonight? To get my stuff? I have nowhere else to go tonight, but I can find someplace in the morning.."

His brows furrowed, and his body stiffened as he struggled with this. "I'll unlock the door," he started slowly, though the soft smile on her face made only darkened his features as he looked away from her. "But, you have an hour to get the things you absolutely need for tonight. Then you need to leave the property."

Blake instantly deflated, and her fists clenched tightly.

"You then, of course, have thirty days to retrieve your things before it's thrown out, so you can come back tomorrow."

* * *

Blake sat on the floor of her room. Well, not her room anymore. But you know what I mean. She had a bag of clothes to change into tomorrow on the mattress as she looked through the things that she absolutely needed. Like her sketchbook that she never used anymore. She could grab her laptop, but the thing was barely holding together, and she was virtually homeless. It wasn't a necessity, per se, but it felt like it was. Her stories, or rather, simple ideas that she never flew with, were on that laptop.

Not like that really mattered. She lost her spark to write anything since...

She sighed and put it aside. She didn't need it.

Where was her lock-box? She hadn't opened that thing in years. Maybe there was some money in that?

Pushing herself up off the ground, she started for the tiny closet and opened the door. Reaching for the chain that turned the light on, she reached up onto the shelf, having to hop on her tippy toes. After some struggled grunts, her fingers came into contact with a cool metal, and she scooted the box close enough to the edge so that she didn't have to struggle with being vertically challenged anymore.

She popped another squat after grabbing her keys, the box firmly in her lap as she unlocked it. Breathing a silent prayer, despite the fact that she was sure Yoba was dead set on causing her nothing but misery, she lifted the lid and dared a peek inside.

"Oh Yoba!" she cried, her eyes lighting up as she spied what added up to a few hundred dollars. There was an envelope with an unbroken wax seal buried under several other unimportant documents. On the envelope, with handwriting she wasn't familiar with, was her name, as well as "when you need a break" in smaller print underneath.

She stared at it, brows furrowed... Wasn't that..? She reached for the familiar package, inspecting it curiously. She heard a voice, as clear as the day he spoke to her, though no one was around to speak...

_"There will come a day where the burden of modern life seems as it is crashing down on you. It will seem like too much, and you may feel overwhelmed. Your spirit will begin to fade, and you will feel nothing but emptiness. Open that envelope on that day."_

That was fourteen years ago. She was eight. Then, she didn't quite understand what he had meant. His words were rather cryptic, especially for an eight-year-old girl. Now... Now she fully understood what he meant. She was straddling the edge of completely losing herself in the macabre life that eventually claimed those who lived here. But what was Pappy Otis offering her that could supposedly bring her back from the brink of despair?

She tore the seal off with a new found spirit, her heart beating against her breast painfully. She could barely breathe from her panicked anticipation, especially when she pulled out two pieces of paper. She unfolded them, her eyes scanning the words Pappy wrote to her. His penmanship was immaculate.

_My little Blake,_

_If you are reading this, then that means you are in desperate need for a change. It is sad to think that you actually reached this point in life._

_The same happened to me years ago. I had lost sight of what truly mattered in life- a connection, a real connection, with people and nature. I left everything behind and moved to the one place where I truly belonged._

_With this letter, I've enclosed the deed to my pride and joy, one of the best things that ever happened to me: Paradise Farm. It is yours now. It's yours to start your new life._

_This was my most precious gift of all, and I know you will do wonders there._

_I love you, Blake._

She re-read the letter several times, each time her gaze growing hazier and hazier as tears flooded her vision. This time, it wasn't because of the weight of the world crashing onto her and drowning her. It was because of hope. Hope that she never thought she'd get a taste of. At least not this soon.

_I love you too, Paps…_

* * *

The next morning came quickly, much to Blake's delight. She slept in the front room of the hotel, only to be kicked out by Ditkovich a few hours later. Which was fine. She had called the bus station later the night before and asked if there were any buses that went to Pelican Town, which turned out to be a good idea because she now knew when the bus would come. At 11 o'clock AM. It was already 9:37 by the time she made to Joja Corp to get her picture of her and her mother and to quit. It didn't take much time to do either of those tasks.

10:30 hit and Blake was sitting at the bus stop, a one-way ticket to Pelican Town grasped firmly in hand as she anxiously waited for the bus to arrive. Her stomach turned ever so slightly as each bus drove by. She was nervous about this. Not necessarily just from having to ride in a steel deathtrap, but from the unknown, she was about to thrust herself into.

What kind of people would she meet? How would they take to this newcomer invading their town? Would she be able to hold a light to her grandfather's reputation? Do him proud?

This sudden decision to uproot her life and grow a new one was more than frightening, but it would be worth it…

_Right?_

"You gettin' on?"

The sudden voice, gravely and harsh, tore Blake from her thoughts and made her jump with a start. Looking up, she saw a bus parked right in front of her. A stern looking woman with too much makeup stared down at her with furrowed brows and a scowl stared down at her.

"Pelican Town?" Blake asked, slowly standing from her seat, the few bags she had packed held tightly in one hand. The woman nodded. Blake gulped. "Then... I'm getting on." She walked to the bus, staring at the steps, at her hand that wrapped around the rail to get in.

She just stared, her heartbeat growing and growing and-

"Kid, I ain't got all day. Let's go,"

"Oh, right... Sorry." With a bit more gusto, she took her first step onto the bus, and another, and another until she found herself settling into a seat. The bus was empty, save for Blake and the driver, so she could sit anywhere she pleased. Once situated, the bus hissed as the doors closed, and Blake only watched as her home slowly disappeared.

The ride wasn't too long, about four to five hours, give or take (Blake didn't particularly care to keep track), and was surprisingly manageable. They didn't die, so that was a major plus.

The doors swung open, and Blake hesitantly stepped out of the bus. "Welcome to Pelican Town, kid," the driver said, taking a long puff from her cigarette, closing the doors behind Blake.


	2. Chapter 2

The moment Blake stepped foot out of the bus, it was abundantly clear that she was in a completely new world. Just from the clean air alone. She could breathe without choking on the fumes of exhaust and factory smoke. There was something extremely intoxicating about just standing there, breathing.

All around her, she could see nothing but nature in all its beauty, a plethora of vibrant greens and subtle pinks as trees began to bloom. Spring had come, and it had never been this pretty in the city. A few swatches of color here and there, usually dulled and muted by the city's gray atmosphere.

This was a nice change, and Blake couldn't wait to see what the other seasons looked like in this vast countryside.

"Hey!" A sudden voice called out to her, causing her to jump ever and look around in a slight panic. She could see a woman clad in a fur-lined, brown vest, green pants and a canary yellow sweatshirt coming her way, hand waving at her as her face beamed in excitement. Almost immediately, Blake tensed in apprehension. People don't just yell out at you and nice things happen.

At least not in the city.

She stared at the red-haired woman, trying to hide her distrust as best she could and offered her a small smile.

"We don't get a lot of traffic here, so when we heard that we were getting a new resident, the whole town started buzzing with excitement," the woman said, which caused her to blink rapidly. The woman laughed upon seeing her confusion.

Blake tilted her head. "People already know about me coming here?

"Ah, yeah. Word tends to spread pretty quickly here." The woman's smile turned into a silly grin and giggled as she looked to the bus. "And, between you and me, Pam likes to talk, especially when she's mildly annoyed." She laughed and shook her head. "She doesn't necessarily enjoy driving all the way to the city and back."

"Oh." Blake fidgeted slightly, a slight wave of guilt sweeping over her. "I hope it wasn't much trouble."

"I think you're good, sweetheart. Pam just likes to complain about any and everything." That made Blake feel better, and she looked back at the bus. The faint glow of the cigarette the woman, Pam, if she had to guess, smoking could be seen through the window.

"I'm Robin, by the way." The redhead held her hand out, and Blake promptly took it. Robin's hands were, by no means, soft. They were rough, calloused. This woman clearly worked long and hard, and Blake felt a bit self-conscious about the feel of her own soft hands, as silly as that was.

"And I'm Blake. It's nice to meet you, Robin."

The older woman beamed at her before releasing her hand. "Well, I suppose we should get going. Lewis, our town's mayor, was busy tending to a few things, so he couldn't come to see you himself, so he sent me to show you around until he is finished. We don't get a lot of traffic as I said, but there is a saloon that has a few extra rooms. You could rent you one for a few days until we get you a stable living situation, and then-"

"Actually, I have that taken care of." Robin blinked at the sudden interruption, but she didn't seem too upset with it. "My grandfather left me the deed to his farm, so, uh... The living situation is taken care of." She flashed the woman a sheepish smile.

"A farm..?" Robin arched a brow, it disappearing behind her bangs. "You talkin' about Ole Otis's farm?" Blake nodded. "Paradise Farm?" Blake nodded again. "Oh boy.." Robin let out an exasperated sigh.

What was that about?

"Well... Let's go to town and find Lewis. He should have a spare key, and we can get you home." She turned, motioning for Blake to follow her down another dirt road. "This way. Oh, and welcome to Pelican Town."

* * *

The walk to town wasn't terrible, but Blake could already tell that she was going to be doing a lot more walking than she ever did at Zuzu. Not that she was complaining. Walking had been the only form of exercise she ever got in the city, so she had gotten used to it. By Yoba, however, she better have the thighs of a goddess, like a professional rugby player, or she was going to sue.

"This is the town square" It was empty. An unusual sight for Blake, who lived most of her life pushing through over-crowded sidewalks just to get from point a to point b. "Most of our main shops are here. Mainly the clinic, and Pierre's. Since you're taking over Ole Otis's farm, I suspect you'll end up doing quite a bit of business with him. He sells some of the best quality seeds we can get out here. Over here is the saloon I was telling you about." Robin pulled back her sleeve to check her watch, humming softly to herself. "Most of the townsfolk are in there. That's usually how it is at this time."

Huh. That would explain the empty streets.

"Lewis is probably in there. C'mon. We can introduce you to a few people while we're at it."

"Uhm... Actually, if it's all the same... I'd kinda like to just get the key and go home?" Blake flushed slightly as she picked at her cuticles.

Robin flashed her a knowing smile. "Not a social one, huh? Sebby is like that. My son. He and his friends are probably your age, give or take a few years."

"Oh, no. It's just...It's been a long past couple of days, and I wanna just get settled down before I get swarmed and can't get away."

"Ah, I understand," Robin nodded. "We'll make this quick then." She pulled the door to the saloon, and the bustle and murmurings of the patrons within were all that she could hear. Which was to be expected. You shove a whole town into one place, every conversation combined is bound to be as loud as a gymnasium full of high-schoolers.

However, as soon as both women stepped foot in the building, most conversation came to a halt, and all eyes fell on them both. Or rather, on Blake. Her face turned beet red, and she kept her gaze to the ground, following Robin to the counter.

"Well, do my eyes deceive me, or are this morning's rumors about a newcomer true?!" The boisterous, deep voice replaced the loud whispers that had previously died down. Behind the bar, a bulbous man stood there, polishing a tankard with a stained rag. A huge smile painted his features, which was surprisingly visible behind his dark mustache.

"This is Blake," Robin introduced, patting the nervous girl on the back. "And this is Gus. He is the owner of Stardrop Saloon. He's one hell of a chef. You need to try his zucchini fritters. They. Are. To. DIE for." Robin looked as though she were to start salivating then and there.

Blake smiled at him and shook his hand, listening as he rambled about how excited he was to have a new customer. She looked at Robin. "Uhm... We're still lo-"

Before Blake could finish her question, Robin clapped her hands together and cried, "Ah! There he is! Lewis!" Blake followed her gaze to an older, grizzled gentleman, who was drinking with a plump looking brunette. He looked up, seeing them both and excused himself. He approached. "This is Mayor Lewis!"

He cleared his throat and cuffed his fingers within his suspenders. His cheeks were flushed, most likely from the booze he had been drinking. "Welcome to Pelican Town, miss!" Blake was debating on making a drinking game with how many times people said that simple phrase...

"She's taking over Ole Otis's farm." Lewis traded looks with Robin before looking back at Blake.

"You must be his granddaughter, then. Blake, I presume. He signed that farm over to you years ago."

"Yes, sir."

Lewis burst into a fit of laughter at that. "Sir, she says. Dear girl, just call me Lewis. Sir makes me feel old."

"You are old, Lewis."

"Can it, Robin," Lewis warned, to which the woman in question giggled furiously. His attention turned to Blake once more. "I assume you're here for the key." Blake nodded. Lewis then reached for his belt, attached to it a rather small ring with an assortment of keys. After a moment, he produced a small, rustic key and took it off the ring. "Here we are. Shall we?"

* * *

"Wha..?" Blake stared at the land before her, an overgrown mess of greenery had taken over the land. The cabin was dilapidated, seemingly in shambles. Was this place even safe?

Now she understood Robin's reaction when Blake had told her where she was headed...

A hand rested on her shoulders, and she looked back to see Lewis smiling at her comfortingly. He must have noticed the defeated look on her face, which is why he spoke quickly. "It looks like a mess now, yes. But hard work and dedication will bring this place back to its former glory." That was a little encouraging.

"I don't know if there are enough days in the year for anyone to achieve that feat," Robin said, walking up beside Blake. "This place is kinda one big junkyard. And the porch looks like it'll cave in on ya the first time you step foot on it." Well... Never mind about that encouragement.

"Robin!"

"OH! S-sorry. What I meant was.."

"Don't listen to her, Blake. She's probably just trying to get you to hire her to upgrade the house." Robin huffed at them and crossed her arms over her chest.

Blake simply shrugged, looking the place over. "I mean, she isn't wrong." But any sort of upgrade was, currently, inconceivable.

Robin offered Blake an apologetic smile. "Come to my shop tomorrow morning. I have a few old tools you can have. I can show you a thing or two about cutting down a tree."

Blake, who had absolutely no prior experience with that what so ever, only enthusiastically nodded. She would need all the help she could get.

* * *

Blake sat on the top step, staring out at the mess that surrounded her new home. Trees, some wrapped in thick vines... Stone. Weeds and wild brush. She couldn't see where the land began and ended, which was overwhelming in of itself.

But she was a city girl, born and raised. Saying she was out of her element was too much of an understatement, it wasn't even funny. This was a lot of work for one person, anyways, even if they were well equipped for it.

The idea of this being a mistake was already ebbing its way into her mind, and she blinked away the tears that threatened to form. She didn't need to cry every time something didn't go her way or worked out. That wasn't going to help anyone.

She had to suck it up. Sniffling, she wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve and looked up, staring out at the town.

For a moment, her worry and stress were washed away as she stared out at the silhouette of the town, the sun setting. The view was something out of a painting. While the sun wasn't exactly, hiding behind clouds as it dipped below the horizon, it continued to cast a breathtaking array of colors she had never seen in the city. An indigo blanket covered the retreating colors of dusk. It wouldn't be long now until the sky was littered with what Blake would claim to be the entire galaxy, and it was in the moment, she decided that she would try her best to make this work.

She would try her best to live here.

She would try to thrive here.

As if to punctuate her new found resolve, as slight as it may be, a star shot across the sky cementing her hope in her new life.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning had come far quicker than she thought was possible. The call of a distant rooster, though not distant enough, lulled her from her uneasy slumber. Blake groaned softly, her eyes straining to open as she yawned out a grumbled curse. Why the hell did she hear a rooster? They weren't exactly a common pet to have in the city.

With another yawn, she went to roll over to grab her phone so that she could check the time… Only to cry out as she fell flat on the floor with a harsh thud. Momentarily dumbfounded, she looked up to see that she had fallen out of her bed and…

Wait. That wasn't her bed... A quick look around showed her that this wasn't her room in the city. How had she gotten here?

Picking herself up from the wooden floor, she quickly did a quick search of the single-roomed cabin as memories from the day before flooded her sleep-deprived mind.

Oh. That's right.

This _was_ her bed. This _was_ her room.

This _was_ her home.

She groaned in mild embarrassment, rubbing her face as she flopped back down onto the bed. It wasn't the most comfortable of beds, but it was at least three steps up from her floor mattress. That right there was a big plus.

Her alarm sounded moments later, which she begrudgingly turned off with the swipe of her finger. She meant to turn it off before she went to sleep, to catch up on a few hours. Not that it mattered. She got the feeling that waking up before six was soon to be the norm...

With a stretch, she proceeded to get changed into something a bit more farm appropriate than a tank top and boy-shorts. She opted for a pair of denim pants, loose fitting for comfort, which she was certain she would need, as well as another tank top and an old gray shirt she wasn't afraid to tear up. Upon learning she was moving to a farm of all places, she packed clothes that she knew she could work in. Of course, that didn't leave her a lot of options. She worked at an office, and she usually dressed appropriately.

She'd have to go to... Oh, what was that place called again? Pierre's? She'd have to go there to see if the place had any clothes for her. And boots, cause tennis shoes and Chuck Taylor's didn't seem like they would be very well suited for the kinda manual labor this place would ultimately demand from her.

Oh well. Take life one stride at a time...

Her stomach grumbled ever so painfully, and it dawned on her that she hadn't eaten in almost two days. Which was unfortunate, because guess who currently didn't have a kitchen...

That's right. Her. Which meant no fridge to store food and all that wonderful mess. That prompted her to make the decision to see if Robin can hook her up as soon as she had the funds. Till then, she'd have to order a mini fridge to tide her over, and it looked as though she was going to have to frequent the saloon until then. Her poor wallet was already crying out.

Looks like she was going hungry until afternoon, which was when the Saloon started to serve food, according to Robin.

Oh! That's right! Robin had asked her to come by her store this morning.

_"See that path? It's a little overgrown, but if you follow it, it leads up to the mountain trail. Follow it, and you'll be there in no time. I don't open till 9, but I'll unlock the door just in case you come early. Just come on in."_

Well... She didn't exactly want to sit around waiting, so, no time like the present.

* * *

It was a little hard to navigate the path, with all the bushes and weeds and logs blocking it, but once Blake made it off her land, the path was pretty straight forward and easy to follow. Since it was early spring, it wasn't too warm that morning, a light breeze wafting over her.

She saw a rather cute cabin, and she assumed it was Robin's home. Walking down the hill and to the front door, she was a bit hesitant on just entering unannounced. Just out of politeness, she knocked first, waiting a few seconds before entering. She saw a counter, unmanned.

It smelt good in here. She couldn't place what most of the scents were, but, if she was a-bettin' girl, she'd wager it being freshly cut wood.

That and the mix of pancakes was a plus. Her stomach growled obnoxiously, the presence of food driving her mad.

Deciding that it would be better to just sit and wait rather than be nosy and go look for the older woman, Blake planted herself on a bench positioned near the wall, looking around to distract herself from her hunger. Not even a second of her sitting down, a man poked his dark head from behind the open doorway that leads to the rest of the building. His eyes furrowed slightly upon seeing Blake.

"Uhm. Miss? The shop is closed at the moment."

"Oh! Demi! That's the new farmer I told you about. She's fine!" Robin's chirpy voice called from deeper into the house. Pretty soon, the woman in question came around the corner, washcloth in hand. "Blake, this is my husband, Demetrius."

Blake smiled at him, and he returned to favor. "Nice to meet you. I've been trying to get Lewis to let me have that land for years now. There is some good soil under all that mess, and I thought it would help me with my studies."

"Demi is very interested in the wildlife and flora that thrive here in the Valley," Robin explained, resting her hands on her hips. "So, you caught me at a somewhat bad time. I had just finished making breakfast, but you're more than welcome to join if you'd like?"

The offer was more than enough to make her mouth water even more, but she shook her head. "I couldn't impose on you like tha-" She was interrupted by another loud grumble. Her cheeks flushed once more, and Robin burst into a fit of giggles. Demetrius even smirked. "O-okay... Maybe just a few."

"Good, because you are going to need to build up some energy," Robin warned with a simple shrug and a beaming smile. "Plus, my daughter is dying to meet you."

* * *

Breakfast was pleasant, especially in its simplicity. Robin had given her a pretty hefty stack of hotcakes, which Blake proceeded to drown in butter and maple syrup. Apparently, the Valley is littered with maple trees. If there were any on her farm, Blake considered requesting a tap or two. That could provide a nice source of income while she's learning how to do this whole farmer thing...

Apparently, most, if not all, of the residences who owned their own business, their stores doubled as a home. From her understanding, that wasn't an uncommon practice for small-town entrepreneurs. Made sense.

While they ate, Blake got to meet Maru, Demetrius and Robin's daughter. True to Robin's claim, the younger girl was exhilarated when talking to Blake.

"You have to tell me all about Zuzu!" she had exclaimed, not having touched her food yet. She scooted her chair closer to Blake's, which she didn't mind. The girl's excitement was cute. "I've been thinking about moving there soon to further my studies in technology and medicine. You only learn so much at the clinic."

"You work at the clinic?" Blake questioned, taking a sip of her orange juice.

Maru nodded. "I'm a nurse there."

Blake choked a bit at that, falling into a bit of a coughing fit. "Aren't you nineteen?!"

Maru giggled. "I graduated early and entered an accelerated course to become an RN. Only took two years." Demetrius only beamed, as if Maru's very existence (her very successful existence, mind you) was him one and only pride and joy.

He probably was one of those parents that doted on his children far too much. And she couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of jealousy.

Blake cleared her throat and huffed out a chuckle. "And here I am, twenty-two, and I'm barely a farmer," she joked, a half-hearted laugh hiding her jealousy. She sipped at her drink once more.

"Well, you're doing better than Sebastian. All he does is sleep and play in his computer," Demetrius grumbled, his whole demeanor changing as he stabbed into his pancakes.

"Demetrius, you know what he does is a bit more.. complicated than that," Robin chided, shooting him a warning glare.

"He's too worked up in everything Maru does to even bother understanding what I do," came a new voice, bitter and strained.

Blake looked up into the hallway to see a tall, lean-looking boy with shaggy, black hair that fell into his face. He was dressed head to toe in black, which made Blake incredibly hot just looking at, and she wasn't even wearing it. Under his eyes, which seemed to be dark and spiteful, were heavy bags, which stood out against his pale skin.

He was attractive enough, she found herself thinking. That scowl of his, however, instantly made him unapproachable.

His eyes fell on her, a thin brow cocking ever so slightly. It was at that moment that she realized that she had been staring at him, and he had noticed. It was painfully aware that it had made him uncomfortable.

Thankfully, Robin was there to distract Blake from the embarrassment she had just caused herself. "Sebby, you know that's not true."

He simply snorted before turning to walk away, back down the stares Blake hadn't even noticed were there till just now.

"Soo... I take it he isn't joining..?" Blake questioned slowly.

Maru simply shook her head.

Breakfast eventually carried on, the four people awkwardly chewing away. The tension in the room was painfully obvious.

Leave it to the emo boy to be the cause of some form of strain in a family.

* * *

"Sorry about that," Robin sheepishly chuckled, rummaging through a chest before producing an old ax. She also held out a pair of safety glasses, which Blake took. "Sebastian and Demetrius have a bit of a strained relationship. They've had one for years." She sighed, shaking her head. For a moment, Robin's features turned from chirpy and happy to that of a concerned, worn mother. That was a look Blake had become quite accustomed to seeing almost every day...

"I don't know how to get them to get along.."

Blake awkwardly put the glasses on, testing the weight of the ax as she struggled to come up with something encouraging to say. Which was hard enough as it is. She didn't fully know the situation, she didn't know Robin. She didn't know Maru. She didn't know Demetrius.

Sebastian seemed as though he wasn't keen on knowing anybody.

"Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just lend a supportive hand. You can't make people get along, they have to do that themselves. You can push as much as you like, but, ya know... Doesn't always go the way you need it to."

Robin let out another huff but nodded. "You're right. I know that. It's just-" Another sigh before she stopped talking.

Blake didn't press much further than that. Thankfully, Robin was quick to change the topic. "Okay! So, I promised to show you how to cut down a tree. It's fairly simple, even though it's a lot of work. You wanna-"

* * *

It was well past noon, and Blake still had barely finished cutting down her first tree. She had realized she wasn't as in shape as she believed herself to be, and her stamina practically wasn't shit. Her arms were sore shortly after she began, her legs were like wobbly jello, and she found herself aching in places she didn't even know she had. Her palms even had a few blisters forming.

_Note to self... Buy gloves tomorrow._

Because Yoba be damned if she was going to do this again without them.

Thankfully, Robin was gracious enough to offer Blake as many times to rest in her house as she needed. Regrettably, she took shelter more times than she would have liked. Robin could tell that it bothered her, and offered her a caring smile, along with a glass of iced lemonade.

"It'll get easier the more you do it," she reassured her. "Just like any new skill. You just gotta do it."

Blake groaned as she slumped into her chair, reaching for the glass of lemonade. Strands of black hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, the rest pulled back into a messy ponytail. It had gotten hot pretty quickly, but that was simply from the amount of work that she had exerted.

"At least you're done now."

"It took me hours.."

"Those hours will turn to mere minutes."

Blake snorted before downing her drink as if she were trekking through the desert and dying of thirst. "That seems light years from now."

"Well, most skills and talents seem that way at first," Robin pointed out, raising her own glass to her lips.

"You can keep the ax, and the glasses. I had hoped that at least one of my kids would take over when I'm old and gray, but neither of them ever seemed interested. But I can respect that." Robin laughed. "They're both doing something they love. What more could I ask for?"

* * *

The Stardrop Saloon was a cute little joint, a fact that Blake wasn't able to appreciate the night before. It was quaint, perfect enough for the tiny town. She was certain that this town couldn't handle the bars that littered the city. The people seemed far too reserved for that. Which she didn't hate. It was a pleasant change.

She popped a squat at the bar, and Gus, as boisterous as she remembered, greeted her. "Hey, Blake! Good to see you're dining with us tonight!" His smile was one of the most infectious smiles she's ever seen, and she couldn't help but beam at him.

"Hi, Gus! I think you'll be seeing me more than you'd like to for the next few weeks."

"Nonsense!" he laughed. "I've seen almost everyone in this town every day for about twenty years. You're a sight for sore eyes! Now, lemme grab you something to eat."

"I haven't even placed an order yet."

"You're getting those zucchini fritters Rob gushed to you about. I just need to know your poison tonight."

"Just lemonade with a splash of vodka will do me for today."

"Gotcha," he quipped with a wink. "Emily!" Blake jumped at the sudden outburst and followed his gaze to a young girl with blue hair. "A plate of them fitters for our new customer!"

The girl in question quickly turned from the surprisingly large stock of liquor on the back wall. Her eyes fell on Blake, and the girl just… grinned. "Coming up!"

Soon enough, a stack of fried fritters and a tall glass of spiked lemonade was placed right in front of her. "Tonight," Gus started. "is on the house."

"You don't have to.. I can pa-"

"Consider this a business tactic, Blake." He stared at her expectantly, to which she slowly took a bit of one of the fritter. He got the response he was hoping for as Blake all but moaned in delight. The fritters were delicious! Well deserving of the hype Robin mused on about.

"I haven't had food this good since.." Blake paused, nibbling on her lower lip before clearing her throat. Gus didn't seem to notice. "Well, I don't re.. remember since," she lied. "It's been a long time."

Gus puffed out his chest in pride before nodding his head and walking off to tend to another customer, leaving Blake to her meal in peace.

Which she was more than thankful for. She was almost finished when she heard the door open loudly, and three new voices flooded the building. She paid no mind to what they were saying.

"-and Alex said she was pretty hot."

They weren't talking about her, were they?

"Since when do you and Alex hang out?" A female voice.

"We don't. We just have an appreciation for women is all."

"Dude, that's gross," came a voice, quiet and faint, that sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it…

"It's not gross. It's natural!" Well, he certainly sounded offended.

"It's naturally gross," teased the girl. Blake could hear her giggling. "Oh hey! Is that her?"

"Hey, New Girl!" She couldn't help but flinch.

Yup... They were talking about her.

She turned around to see the three people, and her eyes instantly landed on a certain emo boy. Their eyes met, but this time...

Neither of them looked away.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, new girl!" the loud blond called, which prompted Blake to tear her lingering gaze from Sebastian. The boy flashed her a goofy grin, and she couldn't quite help but send him a small smile herself. She even offered him a wave. That seemed to be permission enough for him to approach, his happy butt plopping onto the stool right beside her. His toothy grin only grew.

"Uh, hi?" Blake nibbled on the last bit of her fritters, eyeing the blond up and down. He seemed nice enough, if not a bit overzealous. Though, in all honesty, _nice_ was a rather blanketed term she found herself using to describe most of the residents she had run into so far.

"You gotta name, or am I gonna have to call you New Girl forever?"

"As fantastic as that would be, I think you should stick with Blake."

"Blake, huh? Nice name. I'm Sam."

A girl with purple hair that fell over her shoulders in soft waves approached the two, a hesitant Sebastian following, his hands stuffed in his pockets as his eyes lingered everywhere but the bar. He leaned against the counter, hiding behind the blond, Sam. The other girl sat on the other side of Blake.

"I'm Abigail," she introduced, waving to get Emily's attention, who promptly came and brought the trio their respective drinks. "Where ya from?"

"Zuzu." That caught a certain dark-haired boy's attention.

"Oh wow? I used to live there when I was younger," Sam gushed. "I don't remember much. Except for how loud and bright it was. Oh, and the summers were awful. They're a lot nicer here."

Blake bit back a retort on how dull the city was. "Loud is definitely one word I would use to describe it," she huffed.

"We were gonna play some pool," Sam started, grabbing his drink and downing half of it. "Wanna join?"

Blake blinked. "Uh. Well-"

Before she could even consider the invitation, the dark-haired boy behind the blond grumbled sarcastically, "Maybe you should run these kinda invitations by us before you give them out? Just a thought."

Ouch.

_Guess I'm not_ everyone's _cup of tea._

Blake hid her disappointment behind taking a long sip of the remains of her lemonade, watered down by the melted ice at this point. Not that she was too surprised. Sebastian was pretty obvious he wasn't into the idea of getting to know her. She tried to shrug it off by focusing her attention on the blond.

"Oh, come _on_, Sebastian. What's got your granny panties in a twist?" Sam whined, turning in his barstool to look back at him.

"Yeah, seriously. I am totally fine with her joining!" Abigail joined in, her dark brows furrowing together.

"Tch," Sebastian grunted, reaching for his hood and pulling it over his head. "Whatever."

Blake looked between the trio and shrank in her seat in discomfort. This kind of drama was something she didn't need, nor want. If Sebastian didn't want her around, that was more than fine. "Hey, look. I appreciate the invite. Maybe some other time? I'm settling in still, so… Uhm.."

Sam looked back at her. "Hey, you don't gotta make excuses just because Sebastian is being an ass. He- Ouch!" A hand swatted at the back of the blond's head, who rubbed at the spot where Sebastian had hit him. "Well, you are! Don't hate me cause I'm telling the truth."

Blake took his back turned to make her escape. With as much effort as her aching muscles could manage, she slid out of the chair, straightening her top. "Seriously, it's not a big deal. I don't need to stay out too late." She waved at Abigail and Sam, not bothering to offer Sebastian the same courtesy before she turned to leave.

The last thing she heard was Abigail hiss, "Seriously, what is wrong with you today, Bas?"

* * *

A sense of exhaustion wafted over her once she left the saloon. Her body began to ache once more as her muscles began to work, much to their screaming protests. Her eyes drooped. A yawn flooded past her lips. Her hands found themselves deep in her pockets as she followed the path out of town, the soles of her shoes scuffing at the stoned path. The sun was setting, offering Blake just enough sunlight for her trek home.

It was getting darker as she eventually passed the bus stop and crossed into her property. She was just about to start up the decrepit stairs when she heard a slew of yips somewhere beyond the trees and shrubbery that littered her land. She paused, turning to look back out at her property. She squinted in the dark, in the direction where the noises were coming from.

_Must be some coyotes or something._

After a second of pondering, she heard another sound mixed in with the yips and snarls.

A guttural meow, followed by a hiss.

Despite her better judgment, as well as the protests from her aching body, she rushed off the porch and into the thicket, grabbing a fallen branch as she followed the sounds. Which was stupid. It was even darker with all these trees. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, switching the flashlight on.

Ahead, on top of an odd-looking statue jutting out of the dirt ledge that looked to boarder the entirety of her property stood a cat, black and fluffy. His back was arched, and his fur was fluffed out. His tail swished side to side as he glowered at the, sure enough, three coyotes that had cornered the poor feline.

"Hey! Go away!" Blake screamed, waving her stick around as she ran forward. The cat startled, but so did the coyotes. They flinched and ducked away just as Blake continued waving her arms about, kicking rocks and twigs at their feet. They backed away as she drew closer, and the cat, as if knowing he was better off staying where he was (though that was probably because his path was blocked either way and leaping down from the statue would surely lead to him becoming dinner), merely twitched and stared at her in mild suspicion.

She was able to come close enough to reach for the cat, scooping him against her chest. While hesitant at first, he settled into her arm, tail curled against her wrist as his bright yellow eyes glowered at the offending canines, as if threatening them to do something. It surprised her to see that he had been so quick to let her pick him up. Most strays she'd encountered were wild and incredibly skittish of people. Maybe he was used to human contact?

She backed away slowly, waving her stick at the coyotes to keep them at bay. Just in case they tried to approach. She heard a few cracks of twigs and the rustle of leaves as she did so. Eventually, they disappeared in the bushes, and Blake breathed a sigh of relief, turning around…

Only to almost run her face right into a chest.

"Ah!" she cried, dropping her stick to hug the cat, fearful that her sudden jolt of surprise and outburst would have frightened the cat out of her arms.

The surprisingly pleasant combination of tobacco and sawdust wafted her senses.

"Don't turn your back on them," Sebastian warned, ominous shadows casting over his face from the flashlight of her phone. His gaze was focused behind her, brows knit closely. "You're supposed to just back away from them."

Blake turned back to where she saw them disappear, though she did as he had instructed, biting back a comment on how coyote attacks were highly uncommon. Together, the two backed away, Sebastian occasionally catching her by the shoulder to keep her from stumbling over a stump or anything else that littered the ground.

Once, one of the coyotes dared to come out, following them from a safe distance. Sebastian stepped in front of Blake once the coyote got too close for comfort, flapping his jacket like a mad man as he rushed forward with a rather comical yell.

The coyote rushed back into the thicket, frightened yelps echoing in the trees.

A slew of giggles erupted from Blake as she watched, and Sebastian looked back at her with a pointed gaze. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, biting back a few more snickers. He even raised a finger at her, as if warning her to laugh again. She dared a few more snickers once his attention was off of her once more.

It wasn't long after that when the two were at the porch, Blake sitting on the step and cradling the cat in her lap. She ran her fingers through his fur, checking to see if he had any injuries. He seemed okay, the only issue was a few ticks and some fleas. Better yet, he even relished in the attention, curling up and purring loudly. So, Blake ultimately began to just pet him.

The flick of a lighter and the soft sizzle of a freshly lit cigarette finally prompted Blake to look up at Sebastian, a faint orange glow lighting his features. He exhaled softly as wisps of smoke flowed past parted lips, dark eyes fixated on the feline. As if sensing she were staring at him, he looked up at her. His eyes flitted across her face, falling everywhere but her eyes. His lips pursed into a thin line; his shoulders bristled and tightened.

"So," Blake started, returning her gaze to the cat. "You always follow girls into the woods at night, or am I just special?" she teased, the corners of her lips twitching, threatening a smile. She cut a glance his way, just to see his response.

"I- what?!" he cried, gaping at her. "Don't make me sound so weird. I heard you screaming."

"From the saloon?" she quipped, finally smirking up at him.

Sebastian opened his mouth, probably to give her a snarky retort, but one never came. Instead, he stuffed his free hand in his pocket, diligently stealing another drag before looking away, his brows knit together. His foot lightly rasped against the ground, causing his whole body bounce. He spoke, his voice soft, unsure. Hesitant. "I wanted to… Apologize." He continued to avoid her gaze once more.

Blake's teasing smirk fell a bit, her brows knitting together. After a moment, she simply just shrugged, returning her gaze to the cat and scratching him behind the ear. He purred even louder and forced his head further against her palm. "It's just pool," she responded with a simple shrug. "It's not that deep."

"I-" He let out a frustrated sigh, feet shuffling as he kicked at the dirt. "That's not exactly what I'm a-"

"I know. But like I said, it's not that deep." Sebastian frowned. "Look, I'm saying it's fine." She met his frown with a smile. "I get it. I get weird when I meet new people, too."

He nodded, lips tightening into another thin line once more as silence washed over them. An uncomfortable one. One that lasted longer than it needed to. "Ya know, people say male cats purr louder than girl cats." He looked back at her, an eyebrow quirked in confusion at the sudden random fact. "I don't know if that is entirely true, but I've always been partial to them because of that."

"Uuuuh…"

"You wouldn't happen to know anyone who's missing a kitten, would you?" She glanced back up at him as she hugged the cat closer to her chest.

"Oh. Uhm… No."

Blake smiled and picked up the cat to look him the face, him lazily blinking as he gazed about. "Know anyone who wants one?"

"You're not gonna keep it?"

"I mean, I'd really like to… But I don't think I'm really in a position to have a pet? Just moved here. I'm close to being broke." The cat let out an annoyed meow, squirming in her hands, clearly not wanting to be held anymore. She let him down, and he curled up against her foot. She reached down to gently scratch the top of his head, a soft smile forming on her lips as she did so. Would it be so bad to keep him? He seemed to have taken a liking to her, and she's always wanted a cat.

Her old apartment hadn't allowed pets. Now, she just straight up couldn't afford it.

"I'll ask around."

_Maybe._


End file.
